Wireless Protocols: a Panorama

If you think one day there will be just one, you’re dreaming…

You’ve probably thought (nay, dreamed) about getting several electronic devices to communicate between themselves via wireless links, right? You’ve probably asked yourself why there are so many protocols on the market: Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, Wi-Fi, Zigbee, LoRa, Sigfox, Thread, 6LowPan, MiWi, Z-Wave, ANT, plus a few others I’ve missed. Why can’t these guys get their act together? Why can’t they just confine themselves for once to the “best” protocol? This article looks at the advantages and disadvantages of the various wireless links.